Trustee Application Form
Please read the Trustee Role Description and the Code of Conduct before
completing this form.
Personal details
Title:
First name(s):
Surname:
Address (for correspondence):
Postcode
Tel:
Mobile:
Email:
Interest and motivation
1. Please explain why you would like to apply for the position of trustee of York
Mind.
Employment history
2. Please list below, details of employment history including your current position
and employer. (You may wish to attach a separate CV to the application form).
Relevant expertise
3. Please provide any further information, including relevant memberships, board
level positions, qualifications held or other relevant expertise which you feel may
be relevant to this application.
References
4. Please supply us with the names and contact details of two referees that we may
contact.
Name:
Address:
Postcode:
Tel: (daytime)
Email:
Name:
Address:
Postcode:
Tel: (daytime)
Email:
DECLARATION
I declare that: (* please delete as appropriate):
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I am / am not* an undischarged bankrupt
I have / have not* previously been removed from trusteeship of a charity by a
Court or the Charity Commission
I am /am not* under a disqualification order under the Company Directors’
Disqualification Act 1986
I have / have not* been convicted of an offence involving deception or
dishonesty (unless the conviction is spent)
I am / am not*, in the light of the above, disqualified by the Charities Act 1993
(Section 72) from acting as a charity trustee
I declare that the information I have given in support of my application is, to the best
of my knowledge and belief, true and complete. I understand that if it is subsequently
discovered that any statement is false or misleading, or that I have withheld relevant
information my application may be disqualified or, if I have already been appointed
that appointment may be revoked.
Signed________________________
Date____________
Thank you for completing this application form and for your interest in becoming a
Trustee of York Mind.
This form should be marked ‘Confidential’ and returned to Company Secretary, York
Mind, Highcliffe House, Highcliffe Court, York, YO30 6BP
Please note that all data will be held in the strictest confidence and in compliance
with the Data Protection Act of 1998 and will only be used for the purpose of
selection of trustees.
Mind@Our Celebration
TRUSTEE ROLE DESCRIPTION
The statutory duties of a Trustee:
Main duty
Under charity law Mind@Our Celebration Trustees have and must accept the
ultimate responsibility for directing the affairs of Mind@Our Celebration, and
ensuring that it is solvent, well-run and delivering the charitable outcomes for
the benefit of the public for which it has been set up. In law trustees of
Mind@Our Celebration have three particular duties — care, compliance and
prudence — which are set out below following the wording given by the
Charity Commission.
Duty of care — Trustees must:
 Use reasonable care and skill in their work as trustees, using their
personal skills and experience as needed to ensure that Mind@Our
Celebration is well-run and efficient.
 Consider getting external professional advice on all matters where
there may be material risk to Mind@Our Celebration, or where the
trustees may be in breach of their duties.
Duty of compliance — Trustees must:
 Ensure that Mind@Our Celebration complies with charity law, and with
the requirements of the Charity Commission as regulator; in particular
ensure that the charity prepares reports on what it has achieved and
Annual Returns and accounts as required by law
 Ensure that Mind@Our Celebration does not breach any of the
requirements or rules set out in its governing document and that it
remains true to the charitable purpose and objects set out there.
 Comply with the requirements of other legislation and other regulators
which govern the activities of Mind@Our Celebration.
 Act with integrity, and avoid any personal conflicts of interest or misuse
of Mind@Our Celebration funds or assets.
Duty of prudence - Trustees must:
 Ensure that Mind@Our Celebration is and will remain solvent.
 Use Mind@Our Celebration’s funds and assets reasonably, and only in
furtherance of Mind@Our Celebration’s objects.
 Avoid undertaking activities that might place Mind@Our Celebration’s
endowment, funds, assets or reputation at undue risk.
 Take special care when investing Mind@Our Celebration’s funds, or
borrowing funds for Mind@Our Celebration to use.
Specific duties of Trustees of Our Celebration:
Vision, values and strategic direction
 To contribute actively to the board of trustees’ role in giving firm
strategic direction to Mind@Our Celebration, setting a vision, goals,
policy and plans, and targets and key performance indicators
 To ensure that Mind@Our Celebration seeks and considers the views
of beneficiaries and stakeholders in setting strategic direction and
policy
 To ensure breadth and diversity in the vision, values, policy and
strategy of Mind@Our Celebration
 To serve as an ambassador for the charity, promoting understanding
and recognition of, and support for, Mind@Our Celebration’s vision and
values
 To be aware of current issues relating to recovery from mental ill-health
Performance management
 To monitor and evaluate performance against plans, targets and key
performance indicators, and its wider impact on stakeholders
 To appoint the Chief Executive and monitor his/her performance
 To safeguard the good name and values of Mind@Our Celebration
Compliance
 To ensure that Mind@Our Celebration complies with all legal and
regulatory requirements
 To ensure that key risks to Mind@Our Celebration are identified and
effectively managed and that professional advice is sought and
considered where appropriate
Prudent management of assets
 To ensure the financial stability of Mind@Our Celebration through
creation of an effective fundraising strategy
 To ensure the proper management of the charity’s assets both physical
and intellectual; and sound financial management
Good governance
 To comply at all times with the Trustee Board Code of Conduct and
other Trustee policies
 To uphold the principles and practice of good governance
 To participate in Trustee development and training as appropriate
 To prepare for and attend Trustee Board meetings regularly and
contribute to discussion and collective decision making
 To use any particular personal knowledge, skills and experience to
help the Board of Trustees to further the objects of the charity
@Our Celebration
TRUSTEE PERSON SPECIFICATION
Mind@Our Celebration works actively to ensure that its Trustee Board has the
right skills and experience to lead the charity effectively. Mind@Our
Celebration Board vacancies are normally advertised. Application is normally
by written application, followed by interview. The application form and
interview are evidence based and we will look for clear examples of how
candidates meet the essential and desirable criteria below.
Personal competencies
Mind@Our Celebration Trustees are expected to demonstrate the following
personal competencies:
ESSENTIAL
Commitment
1. Ability to understand and accept the duties and liabilities of being a charity
Trustee.
2. Empathy with the vision, mission and aims of Mind@Our Celebration
3. A willingness and ability to devote the necessary time and effort
Focus
4. Ability to think and apply knowledge strategically
5. Ability to think creatively
6. Ability to keep mission-focused
7. Ability to analyse and evaluate management information and other
evidence
8. Willingness to listen and learn
Communication and team working
9. Ability to communicate clearly and sensitively and to take an active part in
discussions
10. Ability to influence and engage
11. Ability to work effectively in a group
12. Willing to express their own opinion in a reasoned way, while also
listening to the views of others
13. Ability to challenge constructively and ask questions appropriately
Accountability
14. Ability to exercise sound and independent judgement
15. Willingness to make and stand by collective decisions, including those
which may be unpopular
16. Ability to manage difficult and/or challenging situations
17. Ability to maintain confidentiality on confidential and/or sensitive
information
Skills and experience
DESIRABLE
Mind@Our Celebration wishes to see the following knowledge, skills and
experience represented on its Board. All Trustees will be expected to meet at
least one of these criteria. During a particular recruitment one or more of the
following may be identified as priorities, depending on the needs of the Board
at the time as identified through a skills audit.
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Senior level strategic management experience within a third,
commercial or public sector organisation.
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Recent experience (within the last 5 years) of fundraising for, or in, a
third sector organisation.
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Experience at senior level of financial management
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Experience at senior level of strategic human resources or
organisational development.
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A professional qualification and significant practitioner experience in an
area of relevance to Mind@Our Celebration such as accountancy,
charity law, project or programme management.
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Knowledge and experience of public policy formulation and influencing
techniques across local, regional or national government.
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Knowledge and experience of marketing or public relations in the third
sector.
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Experience as a trustee in a similar size or larger organisation, together
with implementation of best practice in corporate governance.
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Experience of service provision at a senior level to people recovering
from mental ill-health in a health, education or social care setting.
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Experience at a senior level of developing and delivering services to
people recovering from mental ill-health which promote inclusion, equal
opportunities and diversity.
Code of Conduct for Trustees
Trustee Code of Conduct
Introduction
At Mind@Our Celebration, the Trustee Board, having regard to our core
values and examples of best practice within the sector have created this code
to set out a framework in which its trustees and governing body will operate.
We use our values to describe the way we want to be, and how we want to be
seen by everyone who comes into contact with us.
We believe in providing care for people who come to us. We will accept them
as individuals and respect their beliefs, needs and wishes.
We aim to provide a happy environment in which to encourage recovery and
progression.
Accountability
Everything Mind@Our Celebration does will be able to stand the test of
scrutiny by the public, the media, charity regulators, members, stakeholders,
funders, Parliament and the courts.
Integrity and honesty
These will be the hallmarks of all conduct when dealing with colleagues within
Mind@Our Celebration and equally when dealing with individuals and
institutions outside it.
Transparency
Mind@Our Celebration strives to maintain an atmosphere of openness
throughout the organisation to promote confidence of the public, stakeholders,
staff, charity regulators and Parliament.
Additionally, I agree to the following points:
Law, mission, policies
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I will not break charity law or go against charity regulations in any
aspect of my role of trustee.
I will support the mission and consider myself its guardian.
I will abide by organisational policies.
Conflicts of interest
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I will always strive to act in the best interests of the organisation.
I will declare any conflict of interest, or any circumstance that might be
viewed by others as a conflict of interest, as soon as it arises.
I will submit to the judgment of the board and do as it requires
regarding potential conflicts of interest.
Person to person
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I will not break charity law, go against charity regulations or act in
disregard of organisational policies in my relationships with fellow
trustees, staff, volunteers, members, service recipients, contractors or
anyone I come into contact with in my role as trustee.
I will strive to establish respectful, collegial and courteous relationships
with all I come into contact with in my role as trustee.
Protecting the organisation's reputation
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I will not speak as a trustee of this organisation to the media or in a
public forum without the prior knowledge and approval of the Chief
Executive or Chair.
When prior consent has not been obtained, I will inform the Chair or
Chief Executive at once when I have spoken as a trustee of this
organisation to the media or in a public forum.
When I am speaking as a trustee of this organisation, my comments
will reflect current organisational policy even when these do not agree
with my personal views.
When speaking as a private citizen I will strive to uphold the reputation
of the organisation and those who work in it.
I will respect organisational, board and individual confidentiality.
I will take an active interest in the organisation's public image, noting
news articles, books, television programmes and the like about the
organisation, about similar organisations or about important issues for
the organisation.
Personal gain
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I will not personally gain materially or financially from my role as
trustee, nor will I permit others to do so as a result of my actions or
negligence.
I will document expenses and seek reimbursement according to
procedure.
I will not accept gifts or hospitality without prior consent of the Chair.
I will use organisational resources responsibly, when authorised, in
accordance with procedure.
In the boardroom
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I will strive to embody the principles of leadership in all my actions and
live up to the trust placed in me by (organisation).
I will abide by board governance procedures and practices.
I will strive to attend all board meetings, giving apologies ahead of time
to the Chair if unable to attend.
I will study the agenda and other information sent me in good time prior
to the meeting and be prepared to debate and vote on agenda items
during the meeting.
I will honour the authority of the Chair and respect his or her role as
meeting leader.
I will engage in debate and voting in meetings according to procedure,
maintaining a respectful attitude toward the opinions of others while
making my voice heard.
I will accept a majority board vote on an issue as decisive and final.
I will maintain confidentiality about what goes on in the boardroom
unless authorised by the Chair or board to speak of it.
I will work to avoid conflict in the boardroom and seek external support
to do this when necessary.
Enhancing governance
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I will participate in induction, training and development activities for
trustees.
I will continually seek ways to improve board governance practice.
I will strive to identify good candidates for trusteeship and appoint new
trustees on the basis of merit.
I will support the Chair in his/her efforts to improve his/her leadership
skills.
I will support the Chief Executive in his/her executive role and, with my
fellow board members, seek development opportunities for him/her.
Leaving the board
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I understand that substantial breach of any part of this code may result
in my removal from the trustee board.
Should I resign from the board I will inform the Chair in advance in
writing, stating my reasons for resigning. Additionally, I will participate
in an exit interview.
Full Name :
Signed :
Date :
This Code of Conduct was adapted from NCVO's publication Best Behaviour:
Using trustee codes of conduct to improve governance practice